#2 Ultimate Warrior vs Hulk Hogan
For years, Hogan stormed through the World Wrestling Federation landscape. Saying prayers, eating vitamins, and hitting leg drops on everyone who came across his path, Hulkamania really did look as though it might indeed live forever.
WrestleMania VI and the turn of the decade into the 1990’s prompted a move that would become a WWE staple in creating new stars. The ‘passing of the torch’ from Hogan to the Ultimate Warrior was meant to usher in a new era, and the match itself succeeded in making Warrior look like the next megastar.
The tests of strength, the fan-fuelled frenzies from both sides matching each other’s momentum, the final missed finisher from Hogan to the Warrior’s splash and quick pin, which Hogan very nearly got out of.
The final act of Hogan retrieving the championship belt and presenting it to Warrior had a great reception, and the path forward looked set to continue the Golden Era towards the new millennium.
Of course, for a variety of reasons, Warrior could not deliver the matches and moments that Hogan had, and fizzled out like many ‘new top guys’ have in the years since. Hogan would obviously continue main-eventing for the next three WrestleManias to mixed reviews before jumping ship to WCW.
For the Warrior rub not to last nor someone like Bret or Undertaker getting it from Hogan on the biggest stage cost the WWF, who had some trouble staying afloat when their megastar had gone.
Since Toronto, the company has done more to supplement the rest of their roster with enough talent and storylines so that when the next megastar did emerge, they would not collapse in their absence.
The need to create new stars is a continuing issue the WWE faces today, though the willingness and ability to move on from a Hogan, ensured that the future of the business would not be dependent on any one Superstar.
It is this middle ground however that may prevent anyone but McMahon’s most trusted from ever becoming the ‘face of the company’ again.
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